


The Casual Intimacy of Friendship

by moodymarshmallow



Series: We Wouldn't Be Elves, Otherwise. [2]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Kiss, M/M, Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 04:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/426922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodymarshmallow/pseuds/moodymarshmallow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Friendship builds quickly on the Wounded Coast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Casual Intimacy of Friendship

Emanuel was inexplicably attractive. Not in an intimate way, at least not at first, but in an open, honest sort of way that gave him a kind of undeniable gravity. Theron was so drawn to him that he began to spend his nights in claustrophobic Kirkwall, in the Warden’s safe house, listening to Emanuel talk. He talked more than anyone Theron had ever met. He had something to say about everything, about nothing. Once, he described the tight quarters and lack of privacy in the circle tower so vividly that Theron had to go outside for fresh air. Emanuel trailed behind him like a baby duck, apologizing and questioning, hugging him furiously when Theron stopped walking. He squeezed harder when he realized Theron was hyperventilating, then dragged him out to the docks to sit with the spray of salt in the air until he calmed down.   
 **  
**After that, when Theron was in Kirkwall, Emanuel didn’t let him out of his sight. He’d sit with him at the Hanged Man, playing card games that neither of them really knew the rules to, or lead him through Hightown to look at the shops, ignoring anyone who felt that there was something suspicious about two elves in warden blues and whites. Under different circumstances, Theron would have been annoyed to be constantly followed. He was a solitary sort, the kind that was happiest with himself and the wind and nothing else. But Emanuel was comfortable; like a clanmate, or a old bow that’s been smoothed slick where its owner held it. They slipped so quickly into the casual intimacy of friendship that Theron forgot what Kirkwall felt like without him.  
 **  
**On good, warm days, Theron would take Emanuel to the Wounded Coast. It wasn’t exactly an idyllic beach, but Theron knew exactly where to climb down the crag to find the sandy, private shoal that stretched around the cliffs. At first, he would just sit with his feet in the water and watch Emanuel gather shells, or chase gulls, or poke starfish in tide pools. **  
  
**Today though, was a day for swimming. As soon as they were finished climbing, Theron unbuckled the straps on his armor. He was down to his smalls before Emanuel could ask him what he was doing, and dived deep and sleek into the clear water. This time, Emanuel watched Theron as he sat on the sandbar, hugging his knees to his chest and enjoying the warm breeze. Hours later, when Theron was finally tired, he climbed out of the water and sat with Emanuel on the sand, wringing out his soaking hair and watching the sun set lazily on the horizon.  
 **  
**“I didn’t know you liked the water so much,” Emanuel said as he stretched out, limbs stiff from dozing off in a sitting position. When he turned to look at Theron as he answered, he noticed the scar under his ear. It was deep and jagged, paler than the rest of his skin, and had the look of a very old wound. “I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before; did someone try to cut your ear off or something?”  
  
“Actually, yes.”

Emanuel’s face fell. “Are you serious? Why would they do something like that?” He touched it, running his fingers carefully over the jagged edge of the scar. Theron glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes, but didn’t answer. Emanuel shifted in the sand and put his hand on Theron’s other cheek to turn his face so he could look at him. As soon as his hand brushed over the red tattoo he pulled it back like it had burnt. **  
  
** “What?” Theron turned to him, one eyebrow raised as Emanuel clasped a hand over each of his cheeks, covering the vallaslin completely. “What are you…?”   
  
“It feels different!” Emanuel pressed his fingers firmly against the tattoo, studying Theron with a terribly serious expression. “Your tattoos. They…tingle! Do they feel that way for you? Is your face always numb?” A smile spread over Theron’s calm face as he shook his head. “These aren’t just markings! There’s got to be some kind of magic here. None of the books said anything about the Dalish tattoos being magic!” Lost in thought, Emanuel pressed his forefinger against the bridge of Theron’s nose, tracing it upwards towards the curling red ink on his forehead. “Everything I’ve read said that the tattoos were a mark of adulthood, maybe none of the writers were actually able to touch a Dalish’s tattoos…” He trailed off as he realized what he was doing, high color rising in his cheeks.   
  
“You are adorable.” Theron smiled as he watched that flush make its way to the very tips of Emanuel’s ears, catching something other than shy embarrassment in those blue eyes. Theron dropped his gaze and laughed softly under his breath as Emanuel let go.  
  
“Thank you and…I still think you’re…well…I guess I should say handsome instead of pretty.”   
  
Theron laughed harder than he had in some time, his face breaking into a beautiful smile, pale eyes disappearing behind thick lashes. “Sometimes, ‘Manuel, I just don’t know what to think of you.” When he looked at him again, he lifted a hand to brush his knuckles against Emanuel’s cheek. He slid his hand down, rubbing a thumb over his lower lip. “Can I kiss you?” Theron smiled, thinking that there would be another shy smile, maybe a nod.   
  
He was wrong.   
  
Emanuel threw himself at Theron so hard that he nearly knocked the wind out of him, wrapping his arms tightly around his bare shoulders and kissing him soundly. Stunned, Theron spent what felt like a very long moment being held without reciprocating. But as Emanuel pulled away to breathe, he slid a hand behind his head and buried it into his hair, meeting his lips again. It felt right. What’s more, it felt overdue.   
  
“That was enthusiastic,” Theron said when they parted, letting his hand fall to Emanuel’s cheek, down to his neck.

“I didn’t think you liked me!” Emanuel said, sounding both puzzled and pleased. **  
  
** “I’m quite fond of you.” Theron wrapped an arm around Emanuel’s waist, coming to the realization that he wasn’t going to be let go any time soon. He was fine with that, so he got comfortable, letting Emanuel rest his weight on him and stroking his back in small, slow circles.    
  
“You don’t really talk, and I kind of thought that you were humoring me,” Emanuel murmured, nuzzling into his cheek, kissing it, moving to his lips and sighing against them. “But I’m glad. You always look like you need a hug, and I want to hug you all the time.”   
  
“I’m in for a lot more affection than I was prepared for, aren’t I?” Theron teased him, closing his eyes as Emanuel buried his face into his neck and nodded. “That’s fine. Maybe I do need it sometimes.”   
  
“All the time.”   
  
“Fine, fine. All the time it is.”


End file.
